Best Hotels in Shinjuku, Tokyo

Sofia Coppola and Lost in Translation made the Park Hyatt Tokyo globally famous, but the hotel earned its reputation before the film and has maintained it rigorously since. The 52nd-floor New York Bar, the extraordinary city views from almost every room, and the genuinely considered service culture create an experience that justified its status as one of Asia's reference luxury properties. The sky-high position in the Shinjuku Park Tower means checking in already feels like arriving at something worth the journey.

• iconic views
• New York Bar
• Lost in Translation

Reliable luxury at a level below the Park Hyatt but with all the competence and comfort that Hyatt's regency tier reliably delivers. The rooms are large for Tokyo, the pool is excellent, and the multiple restaurants cover Japanese and Western cuisines with equal conviction. Ideal for business travellers or those who want Shinjuku practicality with international hotel-chain predictability.

• Shinjuku convenience
• large rooms
• business friendly

A Tokyo institution since 1971, the Keio Plaza occupies one of Shinjuku's oldest hotel towers with 1,432 rooms across two towers — a scale that delivers comprehensive facilities rarely found outside city landmark properties. The dedicated floor for women-only accommodations, the excellent multiple-cuisine restaurant floor, and the decades of accumulated service knowledge make this a comfortable and well-value choice for a wide range of travellers.

• Tokyo institution
• comprehensive facilities
• value

The Hotel Gracery Shinjuku has become one of Tokyo's most photographed hotels thanks to the giant Godzilla head that erupts from its rooftop terrace — a deliberately playful piece of Japanese pop-culture theatre that the hotel leans into fully with themed rooms and lobby installations. The location in the Toho Cinemas building puts it at the heart of Kabukicho's entertainment energy, and the rooms are surprisingly pleasant given the spectacle outside.

• Godzilla experience
• pop culture
• Kabukicho

For longer stays or families needing more space, Citadines Shinjuku's apartment-style studios and suites with kitchenettes represent exceptional value in one of Tokyo's most convenient locations. The serviced apartment format means you can self-cater for some meals — a significant saving in an expensive city — while still accessing hotel services. The property is well-maintained and the Shinjuku location is hard to argue with.

• kitchenette
• long stay
• value Shinjuku